Rue'd Awakening- Hungry? Bite on this!

 I am reading the Hunger Games right now. I am really enjoying it. I reminisce about an article I read about Hunger Games and the racial stir it caused which made me very sad. To think there are people in the world who still make it difficult for everyone else to live in a world of acceptance and tolerance of race, religion and uniquenesses. . 

Honestly. The sad truth is that it is that bigots are born of bigots. It is the passing down of ignorance. They aren't born with those views. Sadly, those views will be passed down again and again. Fortunately, even though we hear such racial bigotry today, it is better now than it has ever been. President Obama was elected (twice) because our country is open to a president who can do the job not a race. You can like him or not, but it isn't about the color of someone's skin, it's about people believing he is right for the job. Maybe we'll have a woman president some day. That is a good sign that our country (and world) is trying to see things from the "Flip Side". I don't see racism ever going away from all races, religions and cultures but it's changing and evolving. 
Racism will continue to be passed down (within all races, cultures and religions) but maybe it will become so diluted that they (the bigots) alone will be the minority. Hating them isn't necessarily the answer. Fighting against the influence is. Making it unacceptable is. People are who they are and it's important to surround yourself with people who make you a better person. Stand up for humanity and human race as a whole. We are a melting pot of beautiful people. A world where seeing another point of view can make a better you!


This is the article that has triggered such a stir. Racist Hunger Games Fans Are Very Disappointed http://jezebel.com/5896408/racist-hunger-games-fans-dont-care-how-much-money-the-movie-made


What do M & Ms and people have in common?

We are all different on the outside but the same on the inside.

Flip Side Snowflake

Flip Side Snowflake

Supplies:

Scissors

Six 8x11 pieces of white paper

A pen

Tape or glue 

Stapler

glitter or glitter glue (optional)

When you watch the video, I think I made a mistake. 

You cut on the "one fold" side not the double folded side. Sorry!

In the Shadow of a Tragedy

To the families of Sandy Hook,

In the shadow of the senseless tragedy in Sandy Hook, we sorrowfully attempt walk in your shoes trying to feel your pain. As a parent, it is not hard to imagine what you are going through. As I learned of the horrendous event on Friday, I sat on a bench alone in my children's school waiting for them to finish their after school activities. I didn't hear what happened until late in the day.  It seemed to echo through the silent halls as I read the details. It sickened me to the core. I have a 6 year old, an 8 year old and a 9 year old and the thought brought me to tears. I had to hold back uncontrolled sobbing in the hallway for fear that another child or my own children would see me. 
Why? Why? Why? So senseless and almost unpreventable. It makes no sense to anyone. 

I can't imagine what those teachers in that school went through. Heroes lost their lives protecting those children. A responsibility we take for granted. They don't just educate our children. They help us raise our children. 
God Bless them. 

We watch the news, not to glorify the tragedy but to understand why it happened and to figure out how we can prevent it from happening again. We want to cry with you and be angry with you because we feel so helpless. My children's school will be wearing green tomorrow in honor of your loss.

In this difficult...in this unbearable time, you are in our thoughts and our prayers and we remember. God Bless those beautiful children and the heroes that lost their lives. God Bless the families mourning.

United States, not Divided States

I will be the first to admit that I have never taken an interest in Politics. I am way too much of a fence- sitter to really take a side and debate my case. I am always open to why people feel the way they feel and believe what the believe.

What I don't like, with this recent election, is the hostility and anger that came with it. Though, it did make me take a better look at the issues and learn a little more about how they affect me. The sometimes violent and attacking comments and posts really made me sad. There was such a division in this election that I have never witnessed before.

We are the United States, not the Divided States. How could we be such opposite poles (no pun intended)? I watched people unfriend people for their beliefs. Aren't we entitled to our opinions and beliefs? That is what this country is built on. I even had a friend say that someone called her a racist for not voting for Obama and unfriend her. Seriously? She couldn't be furthest from such a person. And, furthermore, we are in a lot of trouble if that is the only reason why someone would vote for their President.

The day after the election, I posted a comment, "I am a little worried..." The follow up posts rampaged my FB page. There were supportive Republican views and very harsh Democratic views. What I did not get was, "Amber, what are you worried about?""Are you ok?" Not one person asked me what was wrong. Everyone assumed I was talking about the election.

After a day of blasts, my follow-up post was, "People! The election is over. We have a president. Stop drawing lines on the sand. When I said I was a little worried, no one asked what I was worried about. That's a problem."

Apologies streamed in, private and public.

What if I was worried about cancer or my child being injured or sick. No one asked. WHAT IF I was worried about the election outcome? No one said, "What is it your worried about? Maybe I can help you feel better about it." This is where the breakdown is. This is where division removes empathy and compassion from the equation. 

My husband is a Republican through and through. He also founded a charity that helps children and families in need, he is a hard working entrepreneur who takes great care of his employees, he is a religious man with morals and values, he is one of the most honest men with integrity that I know and he is an amazing husband and father to my children. He loves a good debate, too. He is extremely knowledgable of a lot of things including politics. He knows the issues from every angle and can debate you right into a corner. But he is also fair.

As you may guess, he was not happy about the outcome. I expected him to air his disappointment with vim and vigor. But, he didn't. He calmly told me that many of his friends are Democrats and they are great friends of his that he highly respects and that have the same values and morals that he does. He told me that if they and so many others felt so strongly about voting for our President again, then there must be some validity to that and that he needs to find out what he is missing in the big picture. He needed to look at the Flip Side more closely. It does not mean that it will change his mind but it will help him to understand and accept the outcome more graciously. 

I was proud of him for how he reacted to all of this. After speaking to a couple of his friends (Democrats), they all realized that we all have the same goals and concerns.  We all believe that there are big mistakes being made in the government and with our money. As they conversationed through the the issues, they all ended up closer to the middle where problems can start to be solved and ideas can emerge and evolve. 

This was really an exhausting election. It was a wake-up call for the People. WE THE PEOPLE... United we stand....Divided we fall. 

Remember....Seeing another point of view makes a better you!

Moms on IPhones. What are Kids saying?

It has been a while since I've posted. I  have some moments recently that have struck me and I wanted to share them.

The excitement was building for weeks. Thoughts of candy danced in their heads and costumes paraded around the house. Then the day came. Halloween! Dressing up at school, costume parades amongst peers, parties in classrooms filled with food and games and fun. I was lucky enough to be able to relive some moments in my childhood Halloween memories (in a costume even). My daughter was Merida from Brave and I was her queen mother turning into a bear.

I traveled from one room to the next to see how my other two kids were doing and let them know I was around. I was helping in my daughter's room on this day. Near the end of the party in her room, I sat down with the group of kids to read some spooky (not-so-spooky) Halloween stories that I loved when I was a kid. I love reading to kids, especially my books. wink.

When I was done reading, all of the children but one got busy putting the room back together. One young lady stood by my side. I hadn't paid much attention to her until I heard her speaking to herself or maybe to me. I heard her say, "Look at all the moms on their iPhones." I followed her gaze in the direction she was looking. Sure enough, they were all nose deep into their phones. At that moment, I was not but it could have been me too. "They are ignoring us again." UHG! Stab in the heart. Slap across the face.
The blood rushed to my feet. Guilt welled up inside me. I tried to make her feel better (or change her mind about it) by saying that maybe the mom's were taking pictures or sending pictures of the party. She didn't respond to that comment as if to tell me to stop kidding myself (I saw you on your phone earlier.)

That really hit me. My kids will tell me if they feel like I am not being present. I try very hard not be on the computer or phone when they are around (or around my family and friends for that matter).
To hear it from a child who was not mine and whose mother wasn't even there, just crushed me. She was making an observation from across the room at random parents and telling me honestly how that makes her feel. She even used the word "us" ("ignoring us") as if it to say it on behalf of all of the kids who feel this way. Wow.

I will never forget her words. It was a paradigm shift for me. We need those once in a while. We need to hear or see the Flip Side to really understand the impact we are having on others. Take a look around and see who is really watching you.

In The Middle of Chaos

Last winter, we spent a long weekend in Northern Michigan skiing in what I consider perfect skiing weather with kids. 41 degrees, decent snow, not too icy, not too sticky, sunny and no wind. There were no complaints skiing all day.

The minute we removed the bindings, the boots, the snowpants, the gloves, the hats, the coats and the goggles and face wraps, the bickering began. Oh, have mercy on our aging souls. The fighting is never-ending.

I know our kids love each other. I know because the minute I threaten to leave one behind out of frustration, they leap to each other's defense to save each other from abandonment. "But we can't leave him, we love him." I whisper my secret strategy to reassure them that I am not actually leaving one of them behind.  Wait! Maybe that's why they don't take me seriously. Sigh.

When those moments are over, I hear, "Don't touch me!" "Your an idiot!" (which is said under breath in hopes that we won't hear but the intended will)  Scream, yell, he said, she said, blah, blah, blah.

On top of the fighting is the crowd control. Making sure everyone has their things, everyone has manners, everyone finishes homework, nag, nag, nag. I feel like a nag. They are going to call me a nag some day, I am certain.

Well, tonight, a tv show came on that resonated well and gave me a laugh. The show is called The Middle (Episode: The Sit Down). I don't ever watch it but tonight the show's opening caught my attention. They were talking about how a good morning starts a great day. Really? They had clips of the good ol' 1950s families having breakfast peacefully and everyone going about their business without issue. I might have even PHFFFTTT at the TV thinking, "What in the world am I watching?"

Then...all h<!!  broke loose when the clips ended and the actual show started. The Middle family was MY family. Maybe mine is not as chaotic as on the show but they had the clothes on the floor, the lost clothes, the unfinished homework, the sarcasm, the bickering out the door, the never-ending eating, the idle threats.... I could see us in those characters.

We are not alone I tell you!!!

I called my husband down to watch. He laughed as well. I called my two oldest kids down (ages 9 and 7) and told them that they made a tv show about us. They watched in amazement at the similarities and asked, "How did they know we do all that? Is it because you are an author now." HA. They thought it was funny.

The show tickled my funny bone and reassured me that we are not alone. We feel like our worlds are spinning out of control but we are all spinning together. We just need to laugh about it and realize that when our kids are fighting, they are learning how to deal with people in the world and stand up for themselves. When they forget things, they are learning how to be responsible and just need reinforcement. When they sass us, they just need...well....SOAP IN THE MOUTH! Just kidding. They need more hugs and love. Remember, we aren't alone.


Did anyone else see that episode and see a little bit of their family?

Watch it here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/332064/the-middle-the-sit-down

Rah, Rah for Science!

Every shoe has tongue,

They all have a sole.

See who wears these shoes.
It may surprise you! Click here!

Every shoe has a heart

And a story to be told.

No matter what they look like

Whether old or new,

They are all quite different

Every single shoe.

Take the time to learn

What they have to say.

A whole different person.

Will be revealed today.

They hold Major Degrees

In fields that surprise.

We assume they could never be

Wearing their girlie guise.

They are scientists and engineers. When they’re not  in the lab, they perform science-themed routines, lead science activities, inspire children to consider science careers, and playfully challenge stereotypes.

They are speech pathologists and endoscopists, aerospace engineers, molecular biologists, doctors, and neuro-scientists.

They are funny, smart and engaging. They are great role-models for breaking molds and making being smart "cool". 

Were you as surprised? I thought it was great. Teaches us not to judge a book by its cover. 

Watch here via @Today http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/49118062